Some known vehicle systems include several vehicles that generate tractive effort for propelling the vehicle systems along a route. For example, trains may have several locomotives coupled with each other that propel the train along a track. The locomotives may communicate with each other in order to coordinate the tractive efforts and/or braking efforts provided by the locomotives. As one example, locomotives may be provided in a distributed power (DP) arrangement with one locomotive designated as a lead locomotive and other locomotives designated as remote locomotives. The lead locomotive may direct the tractive and braking efforts provided by the remote locomotives during a trip of the vehicle system.
Some known vehicle systems use wireless communication between the locomotives for coordinating the tractive and/or braking efforts. For example, a lead locomotive can issue commands to the remote locomotives. The remote locomotives receive the commands and implement the tractive efforts and/or braking efforts directed by the commands. The remote locomotives can communicate responsive messages to the lead locomotive to notify the lead locomotive that the remote locomotive received the command and/or to report the current status of the remote locomotive.
Prior to a trip, an operator may go onboard each locomotive and set up the remote locomotives for being remotely controlled by the lead locomotive. The operator may then go onboard the lead locomotive to link the lead locomotive with the remote locomotives. If the wireless devices onboard one or more of the remote locomotives are not working, are not turned on (e.g., due to a circuit breaker being in an off position), or are otherwise unable to communicate with the lead locomotive, then the operator may need to travel back onto the remote locomotive or locomotives to diagnose and fix any problems.
For example, a common complaint is the inability to link a lead locomotive to remote locomotives due to a failure of a radio system on either the lead or the remote locomotive (transmitter, receiver, antenna, cables, etc.), or simply because a circuit breaker for the radio system is in the off or open position. In such a situation, an operator may set up the remote locomotives and then travel to the lead locomotive to set up the lead locomotive for DP operations. The operator may then attempt to link to the remote locomotives to the lead locomotive. If the radio circuit breaker was turned off on the remote locomotive or there was some kind of hardware failure, the operator may need to travel back to the remote locomotive and diagnose the issue. Given the length of some trains, this can result in considerable time and effort before the train is ready for departure.